patrick mckiney

The 1st Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry Regiment traces its lineage to the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, activated in 1941. During World War II, the unit became the first American airborne unit to conduct a combat jump, parachuting into North Africa during Operation Torch in November 1942. The battalion participated in several key campaigns, including those in Italy and Southern France, earning multiple decorations for valor. Today, the 1-509th Infantry (Airborne) serves as the Opposing Forces (OPFOR) at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Johnson, Louisiana, providing realistic training for deploying Army units.